Really shocked, as i usually never got this kind of issues and actually i can not reproduce this issue with any other game currently installed (close to 300).

Game Version crashing: 1.63_Hotfix from GoG.

There is a very high chance the game got this issue... i just wonder why they are not testing it out properly...

Now what i did: I used my "Install-Backup" of my old Cyberpunk-Version stored on my HDD. I was booting it directly from the HDD (yet they surely say you do need a SSD) and it was loading very quick, way more quick than the newest GoG-Version using a Samsung 990 Pro, which in theory should be faster by a dozen miles.

No issue at all, using a "bad" HDD... !

So, i am now installing the newest version again, and try it out another time... maybe a instal-failure, yet the chance is low.

Watching the net... i see this issue: https:/.../www.nexusmods.com/cyberpunk2077/mods/8606
with the Note: Fixing 163 crash issue and...

1.63 Crash Fix
by v2

(if you updated to 1.63 Patch 1 on Steam and Epic you dont need this)
Simple crash fix for 1.63

So, what the heck is going on? Could it be that Steam and Epic got a newer CDPR game version than GoG? And this version, causing me download troubles with broken files... now even is broken BY ITSELF?

Seriously, could this be true?

Comparable issues on the forum section with same game version: https:/.../www.gog.com/forum/cyberpunk_2077/crash_after_163_update

I was installing the game another time it crashed right after startup... i can not even get into the game-menu anymore. Old version no issue at all but i lack a Setup from the old version, as my old HDD with this Setup had failed, so i lost the Setup. I will try the Nexusmod fix now... i mean why do i even had to deal with this?

I already tested the biggest games i own, does not even break a sweat. Updated Everspace 2, Updated Kingdom Come, Updated Witcher 3 CE, Updated Metro Exodus... the most demanding games i can find, just no issue.

Now checking Nexus files... i will see.

Not working, it was just a plugin file... i would be surprised if it works. The issue is most likely a bigger scale.

Stress testing leads to no result... i mean, i used this RT-Monster "Witcher 3 CE", unlocked FPS and let it run 100 FPS at max settings.. GPU draws over 400 W, CPU is just about half its load... but apart from some fan noise, no issue.

I am out of idea... i think this game version is simply broken, but i am confused why i barely hear anything about. Maybe because Epic and Steam version is not broken anymore. Unfortunately i can not test, as i do not own those versions.

Ok, i guess i need a older Setup but unable to pick it because GoG removed all old Setups for a important rollback.
CDPR should provide it, this is very critical.

I will open up a ticket, i do not expect anything... i simply have no other choice.

Well, this game will be thrown out of my collection now, at this shape... a sad day.

Very helpful indeed, and yes... many users got crashing issues since 1,61, the last stable release.

Now GoG will not offer it for Setups anymore and the issue is most likely linked to some feature known as "path tracing". The mean stuff is, most likely if you have no RT capable card (still the majority) you may not experience this issue.

This could be tested somehow.

https:/.../forums.developer.nvidia.com/t/cyberpunk-2077-1-62-1-63-crashes/260799

I dunno if people notice the scale... it will crash, making the game unplayable. It is considered Alpha, not a stable release.

Maybe there is issues with the save-system too. As, my first crash happened right after i was trying to load a save. After this... game crashed on boot, very quick. I try to remove all saves but anyway, i will wipe this game, not worth it breaking my head for a issue not my buisness. I am still backuping all my files (after my HDD failure) and it is hitting my nerves even to exprience this one.

Just booted it up and bimbled around for about 10 minutes, runs flawlessly here on my end.
On 1.63, from a conventional HDD, and with GeForce drivers from December last year.

The HDD does not matter at all, i already tested. I think, for people having "space issues" a huge enterprise-HDD may be a valid option, even for installs.

Your hardware spec? Do you have a RT card?

The old driver is even a advantage, so Cyberpunk may not be able to use "new tech" which may be faulty.

I can try to redownload all the files but the redundancy check passed... yet you still never know.

The update from a working 1,61 to the (for me) faulty 1,63 is linked to RT tech.

I can not execute all the tests now, i am in the middle of extremely huge file transfers, nearly 20 TB, it took me days.

Tomorrow i am mostly finish... and may look into the issue a bit more.

A 3080, but I don't use any of the raytracing features.

How to disable?

Really want to know what is going on, and i am not the only one... so something is broken, but not for everyone

This is the main error:

Registered crash info file...
InternalVersion: 3.0.4772630 P4CL: 6226040 Stream: R6.Release
!!!CRASHED!!!
Error Reason: Unhandled exception
Expression: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xC0000005)
Message: The thread attempted to read inaccessible data at 0x0.
File: <Unknown>
Line: 0

Can be turned on and off in the graphics options, if I remember correctly.
Or alternatively edited in and out of one of the config files.

The big "bag of odds" is, if you have a unstable running game, almost every little bit of "foreign influence" on this software can cause this game to malfunction. In general, with increased instability it can handle lesser "bad influence". In some term i can only guess what is wrong because it could be several houndreds of factors and in some way they can add up until to the point the already less stable game is totaly losing any stability.

However, a fine coded game will be able to "keep itself up" even if there is a huge strom of external influence going on because it simply will not allow for a "bad influence" for its critical tasks.

A few spots are probably the main culprit, yet it can have so many possible interconnection... it is really hard finding out the true issue. Thats why it is working for many people, and many other people got countless of different issues leading to a critical instability and finally a crash.

If the game is totaly stable, but simply a critical action done... then it should be able to be tracked and reproduced very quick. The mess starts if there is a general "instability" because almost any external source could be "the straw that can break the camels back".

While Witcher 3, in my experience, was always a "fine tuned game", although based on the almost same engine... and i never had any issue with Witcher 3, the matter with Cyberpunk is different. Cyberpunk really is "on its edge" of what the engine actually can handle and as further they are pushing it the higher the odds involved... so it is kinda a ticking bomb.

I just lack the time making all those tests, as i still have to fix all the backups. It was hitting me hard not having sufficient backups, i never want to happen it again.
https:/.../steamcommunity.com/app/1091500/discussions/7/6363065234139425831/

OK, i finally was able to squeeze out some time for investigation. The thing that now worked for me was to delete the Json (Setting) file located on AppData>Local>CD Projekt Red. Those settings, along with most save data is usually hidden at a system folder... a old "Windows-sickness" as it may allow for "global access" for any users.

For some weird reason the old settings was that incompatible, the whole game crashed just because of this. So, no PC issue or whatelse... and it was VERY unlikely anyway. Usually when those sort of issues arrise, usually it is always the users fault as their system is "crap" or malware or unstable software... whatelse... but in my case very unlikely. Maybe many other users truly got those issues, so a lot of different solutions may have worked... i can not exclude those isues as there are countless issues possible on unstable systems and with a game that is already vulnerable to such issues.

However, for me it definitely is this setting-file and i totally dunno why it even had to happen. In theory CDPR should just reset this file if critical issues could happen with "old settings", just a fail i do not understand.

I managed to sucessfully load the game after deleting the file. However, as soon as i did finish the game and restarting it, the crash happened right after the start again. So i deleted the file another time... started the game another time too... and it was able to boot without any issue.

What i can say... CDPR screwed up here... but in theory it can be fixed a rather easy way.

I will try to "set" a working setting file, lock the file (so it can not be replaced) and with some luck it may work out as a temporary "fix". This is not acceptable as a long time solution as it will be difficult changing settings this way.... apart from the fail.

It seems like the issue is linked to the RT entry inside those settings. Now, if the RT which got updated is broken, then the old version is the better deal... so CDPR should either fix it or consider their new update failed and offering a rollback.
https:/.../steamcommunity.com/app/1091500/discussions/7/6363065234139425831/

In my mind, the reason it still works for many users is, because they do not use RT, do not even have a RT capable hardware or they are using a old version (1,61 or lower).

I just dont get it why some people say "i got a crash, deactivated RT and now it works again, all great"... seriously, CDPR is applying a update intended to improve RT... users deactivate it and says "thanks"... this is just totally hilarious!

Again, solution is actually "easy": Just delete settings file in appdata and ingame the RT setting have to be DISABLED completely. All issues gone after...

However... this version is broken and the old rollback of 1,61 is supreme to this.

Either they gonna fix their broken RT or this version simply failed.

Could you please share your combination of GPU, GPU Driver Version. Windows Version, Mainboard and CPU which causes the RT to fail for you? Might be helpful for others.

No issues at all here with windows 11 22621.2134, Nvidia 536.99, Gigabyte Z790, I9 13900K and a 4090

I think it simply is "to new" for this game... not tested at all by the devs and maybe there is a issue they was unable to catch because they run on probably older stuff.

I think the GPU is very failproof, as it is well known to the current dev-base. The CPU is actually very new, however... currently the most popular gamer CPU... nothing "way to exotic".

Just want to spell out again, the game seems to work proper and crash-free as long as i do not enable RT. But there is no general RT issue because my PC runs the newest Witcher 3 at max RT settings pretty well. Old Cyberpunk runs fine too... the issue started with 1.63.

Anyway, if it helps in order to catch some odds...:

CPU: 7800 X3D> Setting: File attached
GPU: MSI 3090 TI Gaming X Trio @ 536.23 driver
RAM: 64 GB DDR5 @ 2x 5600/36 (Hynix M)
MB: MSI X670E Ace @ 7D69v191 BIOS/UEFI (2023-07-03)/ AMD Chipset Driver 5.01.29.2026 (2023-02-24)
OS SSD: Kingstone Fury 2 TB
Game SSD: Samsung 990 Pro 2 TB
OS: Win 10 22H2 (newest build)

Other Software: Apart from several hundred games (which all are working°°), just 7 Zip, MSI Afterburner, MSI Center (just for monitoring, almost nothing added) and Irfan View. Other software is not installed, instead it is a portable launcher (no effect if not active). No Virus scanner, apart from the one MS is providing (standard system software).

Not sure what to tell, because my system is very light build, in the term of that there is not any bloat available, just the stuff i really need.

Nvidia 536.99 & 4090: This is surely "super new"; but the other stuff seems very common.

°° No, i do not only use "small games", some of them are pretty "hard trucks":
-Witcher 3 CE (max settings)
-Metro Exodus Enhanced (max settings)
-Kingdom Come (max settings)
-Yakuza Like a Dragon (max settings)
-Everspace 2 (max settings)
-YS Monstrum Nox (max settings)
-Oddworld Soulstorm (max settings)
-Horizon Zero Dawn (max settings)
-Prey (max settings)
-Darksiders III (max settings)
-Steelrising (max settings)
-Deus Ex Mankind (max settings)

Well the list can be expanded way more... i use at least 50% big games and with every level of demand.

OK, i really dont know what happened and why it works now. All i can say is, i was disabling the "auto settings" (first entry in graphic), sliding it down to custom. And then i was enabling all the RT settings manually... and magically it is working now. i was re-launching the game several times, with several times loading of the saves... i just dunno what actually happened exactly. But indeed, now it is working and as far as i can say.. fully stable.

The hardware demand is actually lower than Witcher 3 CE, at full settings. Considering RT, i know no harder truck than Witcher 3 CE (at the current time). With Cyberpunk i can reach above 100 FPS (1080P) but with Witcher 3 CE this is not possible. Without "dirty tricks"... but those i only need for 4k and not every game.

The "hunger for VRAM" is supreme though, not sure i know another game using 16800 MB VRAM, yet i can spare it...

It surely is some settings issue that screwed up the "bad way" but with a lot of "trying out" it somehow was able to become "restored".

https:/.../ibb.co/SfWgjyw

Most of the time when i have crashes (generally with most games), it's due to running out of RAM before anything else.

And Cyberpunk wants 12-16Gb for itself, so check your resources are enough before starting it.

Have you looked at Xeshra's system specs? Maybe they need to check that they're not running a second copy of Cyberpunk in the background, but otherwise free RAM is unlikely to be the problem.